Assistant Commissioner Sandra Venables:

Police enquiries are ongoing following the fatal shooting of Kaoss Price in New Plymouth last week.

Today the investigation team continue to focus on the examination of several vehicles and speaking to members of the public who witnessed the incident on Saturday.

In a critical incident such as this, the investigation team undertakes a methodical and meticulous enquiry to obtain all the evidence before making any determinations about what has occurred.

Police are committed to ensuring that all facts are gathered and confirmed prior to public release in order to maintain the integrity of the investigation.

It is important to note that Police Officers are trained on the appropriate use of force, including the relevant sections of the Crimes Act.

When an officer chooses to use force in defence of the public or themselves, their decision must be based on their assessment of the threat, the exposure to harm, the necessity to act, and the best response considering all those factors and the relevant law.

Mr Price’s whanau and the community rightly expect a thorough and objective understanding of events, and Police are working tirelessly to achieve that.

A post mortem is expected to be completed today.

Police would like to thank the public for their ongoing understanding and support.

Police and partner agencies continue to provide support to Mr Price’s family, friends as well as witnesses.

We expect to be in a position to release further information later in the week.

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